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The warm summer evenings give the angler a fantastic
opportunity after a hard day at work to walk along a
riverbank looking for a rising trout. No matter how
stressful your day has been the cool evening air and
the trickle of a small stream immediately acts as the
perfect tonic.
I am surprised that many of my fishing colleagues
tend to avoid this time as the last few rays of daylight,
on a warm summer evening often produces a wonderful
hatch of fly life. Often sending the fish on local lakes
and rivers into a feeding frenzy. Before this time the
fish have been laying on the bottom not really interested
in feeding in the low oxygenated waters of the day now
suddenly they erupt to take advantage of this plentiful
food source.
Many fisherman find this time totally frustrating
as they can see feeding fish but can not catch. This
is sad as catching a fish with a floating fly must be
one of the most exciting forms of fishing I know.
Basically the secret of catching these fish is to observe
all that is happening around you, It does not matter
if you know it is a mayfly or a cannis it’s the size
and behaviour that the fish reacts too.
I like most fly fisherman have boxes flies but have
learnt over the years that a fish looking up from the
river bed at a fly on the top of the water does not
see what we see and is looking for shape to trigger
an attack . The natural fly on the water has legs that
cause the shape to be distorted in the surface tension
of the waters surface. This is why I often use with
great success a pattern like the Grey wolf or Grey duster
these are both scruffy designs incorporating a hackle
that gives the distortion of a trapped fly in the surface
layer.
It is also worth spotting if the trout is actually
taking these trapped flies or hatching flies that are
just escaping the surface of the water to transform
into creatures of the air if this is the case then often
a buzzer or a Klinkhammer may be a better choice.
If you are fishing a fast flowing stretch of water
or the light is fading I often change my dry fly for
a parachute fly these have the advantage of having a
small tuff that sticks up from the surface of the water
that acts as a small float drifting through the current
strangely black shows up better in the ripple than white.
If you observe most trout they are creatures of habit
in a lake they can often be seen following a very definite
patrolling area in a river they will be facing the current
on the edge of protection whether this is weed, a rock
or a bridge. Notice that they will only move a very
small distance to feed from this spot probably only
30cm’s either way and do not forget often clear water
will hide a fishes true depth in the water so cast well
in front of your fish then quickly mend your line so
the fish has a natural drift towards the trout. If after
3 casts you have been unsuccessful move away from the
edge of the water and change your fly then after a few
minutes try again. A trout will often bristle like a
cat and flare it gills just before attacking your fly.
Be prepared as the actual take and rejection will take
place in a matter of seconds.
Traditionally it was said from the time a trout took
your fly you should say “God Save The Queen” before
tightening I must admit in the excitement of a take
I have never remembered too.
Once the fish has taken the fly try to guide him down
stream quickly so not to disturb the trout in front
of you play the fish to the bank I tend to just lean
down and let my finger follow the leader towards the
fly then pinch the barbles fly so the fish will quickly
shake its head and detach itself unharmed from my fly.
Leaving me with a happy smile on my face to find my
way back across the fields to my car and a pint in my
local.
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